


Raggle Taggle

by Shekiyah



Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, F/M, abusive husband
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-18 04:28:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29852583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shekiyah/pseuds/Shekiyah
Summary: This was a request based on the song Raggle Taggle Gypsy.
Relationships: Bonnie Gold/Reader
Kudos: 7





	Raggle Taggle

Bonnie first saw her at the market one morning, fresh faced and beautiful as she looked at fruit to pick and bring home. He knew nothing about her but as sure as he knew every curve of the ring, he wanted to know each curve of her body. Some things just fit and Bonnie knew when he saw her that morning that he would do anything to fit against her like the glove on his hand. Some things were meant to be.

He needed to know her. He also didn't want to scare her. He went to the market every day for two weeks, watching from afar, looking for her. He figured out her schedule relatively quickly. She liked going first thing in the morning, an early riser no doubt, to have first pick of the booths. She walked with her head up and no lolly-gagging, but shied as soon as she spoke. He ached to hear her voice, but stayed far enough away that her voice never carried to his ears. 

The morning he finally gathered his courage, he stood beside the apples and looked through them as he awaited her morning visit. When she floated beside him, he picked up an apple and turned to her. 

"This one's perfect. You should take it," he said as he extended his hand out to her. 

His breath hitched as she turned to him and he saw the purple ringing her eye. 

"Oh, no I couldn't," she fumbled as she smiled and darted her eyes from his gaze to the ground. "You found it. It's yours." 

"No, no," he found his voice as he placed it in her hand, feeling the burn of her wedding ring as his fingers brushed hers. "A beautiful lady deserves the best."

Her smile bloomed in front of him and his heart soared. He wanted to be the one to make her smile everyday for the rest of his life. 

That was the entirety of their contact but it left him light, floating home with a whistle on his lips. 

It became regular for them to talk at the market. He learned she was married to a man much older than her, and he learned over time that when old bruises faded new ones would rise. It took many meetings and the ringing of her laugh one day for him to gather the courage to ask her. 

"Does your husband hit you?"

She looked away as she bit her lip. 

"He says I do things wrong," she said softly. "And a good wife should know how to do things."

"A man that hits a woman isn't a man," Bonnie muttered. "He's definitely not a husband."

Her eyes lifted to meet his as a soft smile spread across her lips.

\----

Her husband found them by dawn. His white horse loudly crashing through the woods as they drew nearer to the camp. 

Bonnie's father Aberama trekked outside, rifle in his hand.

"Where is she?!?" His voice boomed.

"My boy's a bit of a romantic, you see, and he fell in love--"

"With my wife!" He bellowed. "She's my property and I'll have her back this instant."

"I can understand your anger, sir, but no one is property on these lands," Aberama said calmly as his hands flexed upon his gun. "The lady will go where she pleases."

"I-I'd like to stay with Bonnie," you stammered, hiding yourself behind him like a child. Your heart beat wildly as you saw your husband's anger rise. 

"You have no right!" He bellowed. "You'll be destitute! You're leaving a big warm house, a providing husband, a good life--"

"An abusive husband for love," Bonnie said. "Get off your mare and I'll show you what we do to men that hit their wives."

She gripped his shoulder, pleading for Bonnie to stop as her husband puffed as he shuffled on his horse. Aberama aimed his gun as he watched the man. 

"I'm staying here," she said quietly.

"I'll not lose a wife to a--"

"Then say I ran away," she shot back as she huddled against Bonnie. "Or died. I'm dead to you now. Find a better wife."

"You'll be dead to everyone--" he growled as a loud _crack_ shot through the woods. His horse reared back at the noise.

Aberama looked pointedly at the man. 

"It's time for you to go."

Bonnie wrapped his arm around her as the man turned his mare to leave. All three watched the man leave, muttering curses the entire way. 

"He'll be back," she said softly. "With others."

"We'll be long gone, love," Aberama said as he set the butt of the rifle on the ground. 

"We'll be sleeping under the stars in a field far from here," Bonnie said into her hair as he wrapped around her. "You'll never be on the same patch of earth as him again."

She kissed him soft and long as the sun chased the shadows away.


End file.
